Luncheon Sandwich Torte Recipes

ITALIAN BRUNCH TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. Unroll 1 tube of crescent dough and separate into triangles. Press onto bottom of prepared pan to form a crust, sealing seams well. Bake until set, 10-15 minutes., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add spinach and mushrooms; cook and stir until mushrooms are tender. Drain on several layers of paper towels, blotting well. In a large bowl, whisk 6 eggs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and pepper., Layer crust with half of each of the following: ham, salami, provolone cheese, red peppers and spinach mixture. Pour half of the egg mixture over top. Repeat layers; top with remaining egg mixture., On a work surface, unroll and separate remaining crescent dough into triangles. Press together to form a circle and seal seams; place over filling. Whisk remaining egg; brush over dough., Bake, uncovered, until a thermometer reads 160°, 1 to 1-1/4 hours, covering loosely with foil if needed to prevent overbrowning. Carefully loosen sides from pan with a knife; remove rim from pan. Let stand 20 minutes.

MEDITERRANEAN LAYERED TORTE

Steps:

• Place cream cheese and feta cheese in food processor. Cover and process until blended. Divide into thirds (about 1 cup each).
• Line 5-cup mold or loaf pan, 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2 inches, with plastic wrap. Spoon one-third of the cheese mixture in bottom of mold; smooth top with spatula. Spoon tomatoes evenly over cheese layer. Spoon hummus evenly over tomatoes. Sprinkle with cucumber.
• Spoon one-third of the cheese mixture over cucumber; smooth top with spatula. Spoon olives evenly over cheese layer. Spoon remaining cheese mixture over olives; smooth top with spatula. Strike filled mold on counter to pack down. Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours but no longer than 48 hours.
• When ready to serve, turn mold upside down onto serving platter. Remove plastic wrap. Serve torte with pita wedges.

LUNCHEON SANDWICH TORTE

Steps:

• Chicken Salad: Beat cream cheese, mayonnaise, green onion, lemon juice and poppy seeds until blended. Add chicken and walnuts and season to taste. Chill until ready to assemble.
• Pesto Cheese: For pesto cheese, pulse basil, parsley, garlic and olive oil until a paste. Add cream cheese and pulse to combine, adding sour cream as necessary to make smooth. Season to taste and hold at room temperature until ready to assemble.
• Egg Salad: Grate eggs coarsely on a box grater. Toss with mayonnaise, olives and onion and season to taste. Chill until ready to assemble.
• Torte Base Layers: To assemble torte, line a 9-inch springform pan with plastic wrap so that it hangs over the sides. Remove crusts from sandwich bread. Cut each crustless slice of bread in half (so they are about the size of ladyfingers). Line the bottom of pan with bread slices, alternating whole wheat and white bread. Line alternating bread fingers up side of pan.
• Spread chicken salad over bread-lined bottom of pan. Layer bread slices over chicken salad (alternating whole wheat and white again) and spread egg salad over. Repeat with bread slices and pesto cheese, and top with a final layer of bread slices. Pull hanging plastic wrap over top to cover and chill for at least 3 hours.
• To garnish, top torte with remaining pesto (pipe as you would a cake). To serve, slice as you would a cake and serve with a side salad. Serves 8.
• Chef Anna Olson.